Three Hoosiers Earn NFF Hampshire Honor Society
4/10/2024 11:00:00 AM | Football
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Three Indiana football student-athletes earned honors from the National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame (NFF) on Wednesday (April 10) as members of the 2024 NFF Hampshire Honor Society, which is comprised of college football players from all divisions of the NCAA, NAIA and sprint football who maintained a cumulative 3.2 GPA or better throughout their college careers.
Tight end Trey Walker earns his second honor from the National Football Foundation, while tight end James Bomba and punter James Evans were each honored for the first time.
An elite group of 1,989 players from 339 schools qualified for membership in 2024, setting a new record for the number of members in a single year during the program's 18-year history. The initiative has now honored 18,387 student-athletes since its inception. Click here for the complete 2024 list of members.
"We are thrilled to honor a record number of athletes as part of this year's Hampshire Honor Society," said NFF President & CEO Steve Hatchell. "Over the last 18 years, the Hampshire Honor Society has served as a powerful vehicle for schools to recognize their college football players who have distinguished themselves both academically and athletically, and we congratulate the schools and each of these young men for their commitment to excellence in all aspects of their lives."
Nominated by their respective schools, members of the NFF Hampshire Honor Society must be either:
• A senior player, who will graduate this spring/summer, and completed their final year of eligibility in 2023; or
• A graduated player, who has been out of high school at least (3) years;
And must have:
• Attained a minimum undergraduate cumulative GPA of 3.2 (4.0 scale); and
• Been starters or significant contributors throughout the 2023 season.
The NFF Hampshire Honor Society capitalizes on the NFF's National Scholar-Athlete program by greatly expanding the number of scholar-athletes the NFF can recognize each year. The program further strengthens the organization's leadership role in encouraging academic performance by the student-athletes at the 772 colleges and universities with football programs nationwide.
Nebraska from the FBS led all programs in membership, with 21 honorees in 2024. North Dakota led all FCS programs with 20 members; Bentley (MA) and Colorado School of Mines were the Division II leaders with 12 members each; Tufts (MA) led Division III with 20 honorees; Doane (NE) and Southeastern (FL) both boasted 12 members, tied for the most in the NAIA; and Cornell topped all Collegiate Sprint Football League teams with 13 honorees.
Jon F. Hanson, the chairman and founder of The Hampshire Companies, provided the funds to launch the NFF Hampshire Honor Society in 2007. He made the contribution as part of his legacy to the organization after serving as NFF Chairman from 1994-2006. He currently serves the organization as chairman emeritus. Each player awarded membership in this year's Honor Society will receive a certificate commemorating his or her achievement.
"It was my great privilege to endow the NFF Hampshire Honor Society, which has greatly increased the number of college student-athletes the NFF has been able to recognize during the past 18 years," said Hanson. "Nationwide there are thousands of football players excelling in the classroom, and they are going on to become great leaders."
"We have honored more than 18,000 student-athletes since 2007 thanks to Jon Hanson's generosity," said NFF Chairman Archie Manning. "We are grateful for his passionate belief in the scholar-athlete ideal, and the Hampshire Honor Society allows us to showcase the names of tomorrow's leaders while inspiring future generations to follow in their footsteps."
About The Hampshire Foundation
The Hampshire Foundation is the charitable arm of The Hampshire Companies, a privately-held, fully-integrated real estate firm that has more than 60 years of hands-on, cycle-tested experience in acquiring, developing, leasing, repositioning, managing, financing and disposing of real estate. Founded by Jon F. Hanson, who served as NFF Chairman from 1994-2006, Hampshire is headquartered in Morristown, New Jersey. Learn more at www.hampshirere.com.
About The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame
Founded in 1947 with early leadership from General Douglas MacArthur, legendary Army coach Earl "Red" Blaik and immortal journalist Grantland Rice, The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame is a non-profit educational organization that runs programs designed to use the power of amateur football in developing scholarship, citizenship, and athletic achievement in young people. With 120 chapters in 47 states, NFF programs include the criteria, selection and induction of members of the College Football Hall of Fame; the Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta; Future For Football; The William V. Campbell Trophy®; the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class Presented by Fidelity Investments; the NFF National High School Academic Excellence Awards presented by the Rose Bowl Legacy Foundation & Hatchell Cup presented by the Original Bob's Steak & Chop House; and a series of programs and initiatives to honor the legends of the past and inspire the leaders of the future. NFF corporate partners include Bruin Capital, Catapult, Delta Air Lines, Fidelity Investments, Hampshire Companies, Hanold Associates Executive Search, Jostens, Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, New York Athletic Club, Pasadena Tournament of Roses and the Sports Business Journal. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @NFFNetwork and learn more at footballfoundation.org.
Tight end Trey Walker earns his second honor from the National Football Foundation, while tight end James Bomba and punter James Evans were each honored for the first time.
An elite group of 1,989 players from 339 schools qualified for membership in 2024, setting a new record for the number of members in a single year during the program's 18-year history. The initiative has now honored 18,387 student-athletes since its inception. Click here for the complete 2024 list of members.
"We are thrilled to honor a record number of athletes as part of this year's Hampshire Honor Society," said NFF President & CEO Steve Hatchell. "Over the last 18 years, the Hampshire Honor Society has served as a powerful vehicle for schools to recognize their college football players who have distinguished themselves both academically and athletically, and we congratulate the schools and each of these young men for their commitment to excellence in all aspects of their lives."
Nominated by their respective schools, members of the NFF Hampshire Honor Society must be either:
• A senior player, who will graduate this spring/summer, and completed their final year of eligibility in 2023; or
• A graduated player, who has been out of high school at least (3) years;
And must have:
• Attained a minimum undergraduate cumulative GPA of 3.2 (4.0 scale); and
• Been starters or significant contributors throughout the 2023 season.
The NFF Hampshire Honor Society capitalizes on the NFF's National Scholar-Athlete program by greatly expanding the number of scholar-athletes the NFF can recognize each year. The program further strengthens the organization's leadership role in encouraging academic performance by the student-athletes at the 772 colleges and universities with football programs nationwide.
Nebraska from the FBS led all programs in membership, with 21 honorees in 2024. North Dakota led all FCS programs with 20 members; Bentley (MA) and Colorado School of Mines were the Division II leaders with 12 members each; Tufts (MA) led Division III with 20 honorees; Doane (NE) and Southeastern (FL) both boasted 12 members, tied for the most in the NAIA; and Cornell topped all Collegiate Sprint Football League teams with 13 honorees.
Jon F. Hanson, the chairman and founder of The Hampshire Companies, provided the funds to launch the NFF Hampshire Honor Society in 2007. He made the contribution as part of his legacy to the organization after serving as NFF Chairman from 1994-2006. He currently serves the organization as chairman emeritus. Each player awarded membership in this year's Honor Society will receive a certificate commemorating his or her achievement.
"It was my great privilege to endow the NFF Hampshire Honor Society, which has greatly increased the number of college student-athletes the NFF has been able to recognize during the past 18 years," said Hanson. "Nationwide there are thousands of football players excelling in the classroom, and they are going on to become great leaders."
"We have honored more than 18,000 student-athletes since 2007 thanks to Jon Hanson's generosity," said NFF Chairman Archie Manning. "We are grateful for his passionate belief in the scholar-athlete ideal, and the Hampshire Honor Society allows us to showcase the names of tomorrow's leaders while inspiring future generations to follow in their footsteps."
About The Hampshire Foundation
The Hampshire Foundation is the charitable arm of The Hampshire Companies, a privately-held, fully-integrated real estate firm that has more than 60 years of hands-on, cycle-tested experience in acquiring, developing, leasing, repositioning, managing, financing and disposing of real estate. Founded by Jon F. Hanson, who served as NFF Chairman from 1994-2006, Hampshire is headquartered in Morristown, New Jersey. Learn more at www.hampshirere.com.
About The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame
Founded in 1947 with early leadership from General Douglas MacArthur, legendary Army coach Earl "Red" Blaik and immortal journalist Grantland Rice, The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame is a non-profit educational organization that runs programs designed to use the power of amateur football in developing scholarship, citizenship, and athletic achievement in young people. With 120 chapters in 47 states, NFF programs include the criteria, selection and induction of members of the College Football Hall of Fame; the Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta; Future For Football; The William V. Campbell Trophy®; the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class Presented by Fidelity Investments; the NFF National High School Academic Excellence Awards presented by the Rose Bowl Legacy Foundation & Hatchell Cup presented by the Original Bob's Steak & Chop House; and a series of programs and initiatives to honor the legends of the past and inspire the leaders of the future. NFF corporate partners include Bruin Capital, Catapult, Delta Air Lines, Fidelity Investments, Hampshire Companies, Hanold Associates Executive Search, Jostens, Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, New York Athletic Club, Pasadena Tournament of Roses and the Sports Business Journal. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @NFFNetwork and learn more at footballfoundation.org.
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